Remember Your Customers Do Not Want To Talk To Computers

You know the feeling of sitting on the phone trying to find out something about your bank account or something that needs to be repaired and the only thing that answers on the other end is a computerized person who "welcomes'' you and tell you that they are happy that you called them and are eager to help them with their problems. Then they tell you that it will take you at least 10 buttons to punch before you can finally get someone to help you. Typically after you hit the correct button it just leads you to another computerized person who gives you another inane directory of options and all you want to do is to talk to a human being.

The thing about that is that if you own a business that offers those types of customer service options, all you are doing is making your customers angry, knowing that they will be spending the next half-hour waiting to talk to a weary customer service representative who is tired of people complaining about the amount of time it actually took for someone to actually answer their call. Ask yourself, have you ever known anyone who said that they preferred a computer service rather than an actual human being?

Business owners need to remember that by frustrating their customers they are simply ruining their chances of gaining more business from them. By dealing with the customers on a personal basis, you can score real points with them rather than doing it by computer. The customer wants to feel like he or she is a person rather than a number and it will also help you stand out among all of the businesses that also use the impersonal method.

It is also frustrating to be able to get information in an immediate matter. It is not at all uncommon to receive a message that says that you have called during a busy time and could be placed on hold for an extended time. That is not what the customer wants to hear. It might cost money to hire more employees, but think about the benefits to your company by the amount of customers who are satisfied with your business and chooses yours over the others.

If you own a company that employees techniques such as the computerized answering machines, just try calling it one day to see how you feel when you get that computer on the phone. You'll be surprised by the frustration you feel.